School must pay €12k for excluding pupil with Down syndrome from classroom

The school was found to have discriminated against the pupil on the grounds of disability. Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

A primary school has been ordered to pay €12,000 compensation to the family of a child with Down syndrome who was excluded from class and made to sit in the foyer for most of the school day with a special needs assistant.

The school, which has not been named to protect the identity of the child, was found to have discriminated against the pupil on the grounds of disability under the Equal Status Act by the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).